Blue Moon
by Autumn Leaf Ninja
Summary: A secret organization working behind-the-scenes is coming out to put their plans into action. Their biggest threat: a new Meister and Weapon pair?
1. Chapter 1: Intro

"_One alone is not enough; you need both together…"_

I inwardly groaned. How many times could one girl replay the _same_ song in one day? "Gwen, can you _please_ turn that off?" I begged for the umpteenth time.

_Gwen is my little sister. She has wavy, naturally light orange hair that reaches halfway down her back. Right now it's parted in two braids, which are currently draped over her shoulders. She has deep blue eyes that are almost iridescent. She's wearing a navy blue cardigan over a buttoned white shirt and a black skirt. She's wearing white stockings and black flats. _

The red-head turned to me, grinning. "Would you rather watch my favorite song from the first movie?"

I made a mental note to get her for this. Last time our family went on a trip, it was my turn to control the small DVD player hanging in our car, but _I_ actually have great taste in movies – _and_ I don't repeat the same parts over and over again until everyone else in the car feels like punching me in the gut.

Not that I could actually do that to my little sister… or anyone, really. I actually feel bad for even thinking about it. Even though we disagree about movies, I love the little girl to death. Not that she's little anymore. She keeps getting older (not that _I_ don't get older, too, and other people…). Gwen's birthday is in a few days, which is the whole reason why our family is going on this trip. Come to think of it, I haven't really bothered to ask where we're going… Oh, well. I'll find out when we get there.

I know that Gwen is totally _impossible_ to argue with, since she's good at playing with words until you wonder how in the world you could have thought what you thought that was different from what she thought, which is why I didn't ask her again to change the movie. Instead, I looked up at the screen, wondering how _no one else_ in this car minds that my sister has completely memorized the entire scene.

For some odd reason, I decided to tune into the movie, just because. It took me about three seconds to realize that the same song had just started over again. I stared at the little girls swinging wooden (_no, wait, it might be bamboo…) _sticks around in front of them. _They make it look easy!_ I thought. _I bet if _I_ tried that, I'd hit myself in the face!_ Before I got too bent out of shape, I tuned the movie out again.

I rested my head back on the car seat with a sigh, staring straight up. "This movie doesn't even make any sense," I complained. "It took, like, half a movie to train a bunch of soldiers in the first movie, and now, one movie later, she's training a bunch of little girls in less than five minutes? That's insane! I'm not buying it."

Gwen ignored me, so I decided to bother someone else for a change. "Hey, Jay," I whispered to my best friend. "What're you doing?" He was grinning goofily at his iPod. He ignored me, too, so I poked his cheek. "Jay," I hissed persistently. After some more poking and calling his name, I got annoyed myself. "HEY! I'm talking to you, kid!"

He pulled his headphones out of his ears. "Did you say something?" he asked (stupidly).

_Jay is a (strange) boy with somewhat shaggy, somewhat short black hair, and sharp, light blue eyes. He's wearing an old, dark forest green T-shirt, dark blue jeans, and black sneakers. He has a black jacket on his lap, which is also holding his iPod. We've been best friends for basically our whole lives, since our parents were all best friends in high school (and still are). That's why he comes with one (if not both) of his parents with us on our road-trips. Maybe _he_ knows where we're going…_

"I was just wondering what you were doing," I snorted.

"Oh!" It seemed like he was on his way back to the world outside of his iPod. "I was listening to this song, see?" He whipped his iPod directly in front of my eyes, half-blinding me.

"Totally unnecessary," I hissed.

He grinned. "Oops, sorry, Sam," he said, obviously not meaning it. "I tend to blind people who poke me in the face for five minutes straight." I left him to blind _himself_ by staring at his iPod and looked straight up again, blowing some hair out of my eyes. _Maybe I should get it cut one of these days... Nah, I don't feel like it. I _never_ feel like it._

_If you hadn't put it together yet, Sam (short for Samantha) would be me. Like Gwen, I'm a red-head (that's what people call me and my sister even though, technically, our hair is ginger), but my hair is a deeper and brighter orange than Gwen's. Also like Gwen, I've got blue eyes, too, but mine aren't as bright as hers. I'm wearing a white button-up shirt, an unzipped navy blue jacket, and a black skirt (no, Gwen and I are _not_ wearing the same outfit; _she_ copied _me_!)_._ I've got long black boots on (cotton, maybe? I seriously have no idea… Can boots even be made of cotton?)._

Gwen leaned closer to me. I lowered my head to stare at her. She was still watching the screen hanging, which was currently playing a different scene, as I saw when I glanced over at it. Finally! Looking at her again, I watched as she kept leaning closer and closer. I opened my mouth to ask her why she was being weird, but before I could say anything, she said, "He's tearing them apart! He's so selfish." I hoped she doesn't watch _this_ scene over and over again. I squirmed farther from her, forcing Jay to scoot closer to the window on his side.

Since I knew I wouldn't be able to stand another minute of staring at nothing, I leaned forward and slid the screen separating the three of us from the others back. I found myself staring at the back of my mom's head. She turned at the sound of me removing the screen. "Hey, honey," she said with a smile. "Is everything hunky dory?"

_Mom is a nice lady with dark ginger hair and brown eyes. She's smart and helpful, but she's also really goofy. She also likes calling Gwen and I embarrassing and strange names, like sugar booger or peaches. Right now she's wearing a leaf green shirt and faded blue jeans. Her hair is back in a bun._

I laughed. "Yeah, I guess so. I'm just bored."

"Want to borrow my iPod?" she offered. Wait, hold on. Even my mother has an iPod? She has one that she isn't even using while I'm back here suffering from boredom? Life just isn't fair.

"Yes!" I responded immediately, holding out my hands for the precious gift of technology. "Thank you!" I flashed a smile and returned the screen to its place. Before I put the headphones on, though, I turned to Jay and, after finally getting his attention again, I screamed, "This is what you get for not sharing! So there!" I flashed the iPod in front of his face like he'd done to me, except it was still off, so it didn't blind him. He stared at me blankly and I faced front again, looking down to finally _do_ something.

After listening to music for a while, I realized that the car was stopped. Gwen and Jay seemed to come to the same conclusion, looking around. Mom pulled the screen back and beamed at us. "We're finally here, hot dogs!" she announced. I decided not to be offended by the whole "hot dog" thing.

"So, uh, where are we?" Jay asked. I'm glad I wasn't the only one who didn't know.

"Well, it's not quite so simple. We wanted to show you a specific city," she began hesitantly. More enthusiastically, she said, "So, kids, take a good look around, because in a week, you're going to be moving here!"

There were so many things wrong with that sentence. First off, we're moving in a _week_ and we haven't found out? Second, where _are_ we? Third, wouldn't it have been easier to tell us about it and then move right in?

Turning to my right, I saw Gwen practically bouncing in her seat. Her eyes glistened. "We're _moving?_ This is great! I've always wanted to know what that felt like!" Well, thank you, Gwen, for your enthusiasm.

Turning to my left, I saw that Jay's face was blank. Since he's my best friend, I sometimes think that I can read his mind. Right now is one of those times. "We're _moving?_ This is terrible! We're going to leave everything behind!" I complained.

Mom pouted and waggled her forefinger at me. "Nonsense, dear," she said. "This city is where your folks grew up." Turning to Jay, she added, "That means your parents too, kiddo." She looked back at me. "This probably sounds insensitive, but you kids are the only ones leaving something behind. Gwen seems pretty excited about the big move," she beamed.

Instead of complaining again, I asked, "Can we look around now? I want to see it." Without waiting for a reply, I shoved Jay lightly towards the door. "Out, please." He glared at me as he pushed the door open. I followed him out and Gwen got out from her side. It probably would have been a good idea to open the dark windows to see outside, since we were standing in a desert with nothing anywhere around us. I feel stupid for not noticing that there weren't any cars around us.

Gwen walked around the back of the car to join me and Jay, who was staring around blankly. "Isn't it wonderful?" Gwen enthused.

"Oh, yes, it's _beautiful_," I replied sarcastically. I gestured around me at the vast, barren desert. "There's nothing here!"

Gwen gazed at me confusedly. "What are you talking about?" She tipped her head to one side. "Can't you see it?" She pointed behind me. I whipped around and gaped at the site. A giant city in the middle of a desert was _right there_. That's insane! It's totally unreal! I rubbed my eyes and did a double take. Yes, it was real. So humongous cities in deserts really _do_ exist…

Both pairs of parents got out of the car. "Isn't it wonderful?" Jay's mom glowed.

_Jay's mom, Raven, is a very pretty lady with long black hair that's in a low ponytail. Her eyes are bright and blue. She's wearing a light blue shirt and a long, flowing black skirt._

"Okay, so maybe it's _kind_ of cool…" I admitted, my mouth feeling dry. It suddenly occurred to me that it was really hot (it's a desert, remember?), and I felt like getting back in the car to cool off in the air conditioned space. We pretty much cut off there, piling back in the car. Apparently everyone else wanted to stay cool, too.

Our parents filled us in on lots of things about what it's like there, and where we'll be going to school. Apparently there's a school called Death Weapon Meister Academy (DWMA) that teaches students how to fight. They left it at that. That sounds kind of weird, though… What'll it be like, compared to a normal school?

After the long trek back (both Jay's and the iPod I was using running out of battery halfway back), we started getting ready. We only have a few days left before moving to the desert city (oddly named Death City). It didn't take long to tell my two close friends (besides Jay) about the move. One of them cried and hugged me a little too tight. The other frowned and looked away. It was less difficult than I figured.

One week later, we were settled in, our new homes two cramped apartments, side by side, about five blocks from our new school. Somehow, even though we just moved here, we're expected to start school tomorrow like nothing! It's a disaster waiting to happen…

* * *

**Author's Note: Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed. :) Let me know what you think!**

**Also, I don't own _Mulan_ or _Mulan 2_, nor do I own the plot or songs from it. Those belong to Disney and whoever else has rights to it. :)**


	2. Chapter 2: The First Day

"_Have fun, pickle pies!_" my mom called after Jay and me as we started the walk to Death Weapon Meister Academy for the first time, making me wonder if pickle pies even exist and how we remind her of them. Well, I've come to realize that complaining about the embarrassing nicknames encourages her to make them more… _creative_. I once complained about being called a 'pretty little princess' in front of the other kids when I was really little, which led her to come up with something she considers more practical: a _sweet and sourdough baguette_. How it's any better for her to call her daughter a baguette instead of princess, I have no idea. I doubt I'll ever understand my mother's mind.

_Anyhow_, it took us about fifteen minutes to get there. Fifteen minutes for five blocks is a long time, sure, but I walk kind of slow, and Jay knows by now that he'll regret it if he leaves me behind (by going on a forced guilt trip, courtesy of me). So fifteen minutes later, there we were, staring at by far the _coolest_ school I have _ever_ seen.

_Death Weapon Meister Academy (DWMA) is a massive school on a large platform that is accessible by a lengthy path of white steps. It has huge black towers and spires patterned with white lines and a Shinigami mask here and there. The roofs are bright red and shaped like cones. There are humongous candles poking out of shafts along the circumference of the buildings. It has three giant Shinigami masks at its center. The middle mask is the largest and has blood red spikes shooting out of its eye and nose holes. The other masks are smaller and have slanted eyes. The 'teeth' of the masks serve as the school's entrances. Three strange black orbs hover above the school. If you look at the school from the front, the orbs and empty air between the spires/towers resemble another Shinigami mask._

So, yeah, it's pretty awesome. Much cooler than a typical boring-looking, rectangular school! "Awesome~" I breathed. Jay did what he seems to enjoy doing most: staring blankly ahead. Slightly annoyed at his silence, I charged ahead of him up the stairs. I heard his footsteps as he followed me up. It didn't take long to reach the top. So there we were, in front of the school, with me huffing and puffing and gripping my chest and knees with my hands. I was highly disturbed at the fact that I was digging light sweat from my palms into my pants.

_I came to school today with my hair in two high ponytails on either side of my head. I have a small black bow on one side of my hair, with my bangs swept to the opposite side. Mom wanted me to fix my hair differently, but I argued that since this is how I usually have it, I should leave it like this. I'm wearing a light blue shirt and black jeans, with black flats that have a bow on one side of both shoes._

Jay didn't seem tired at all, which got me mad. Before saying something rude about it, though, I soothed myself, _Okay, fine, so what if you've got absolutely no stamina? Jay still weighs more than you!_ That was the most valid argument I could come up with at the moment. Still, I felt the need to correct myself. _Well, I guess that makes sense, since he's taller than me and bigger than me and whatnot. Well, I've got ginger hair! So there!_ Again, that was the most valid argument I could come up with.

"Sam?" Jay tapped my shoulder.

_Jay came to school today dressed in an unzipped black jacket over a dark blue shirt and black jeans and his regular black sneakers. (Is it my fault that people like copying my style?)_

He bent over to see my face. I was still gripping my knees and chest as though I was prepared to pass out from exhaustion caused by walking five short blocks and a single flight of stairs. To prove to him that I'm not totally useless, I straightened up and tried slowing my still heavy breath. He stood up straight, too, and said, "I think he's here to show us around." He turned and jerked his head towards a boy that just _happened_ to be there, watching my pathetic show of exhaustion.

Pretending that I wasn't really as tired from the minimal exercise as I felt, I strode over to him. "It's not polite to stare, you know," I said, getting all up in his face about it.

"Uh, sorry," the boy (sort of) apologized. "Stein said I'm supposed to show you around. I'm Soul." Jay, who magically appeared next to me in time to hear everything Soul had just said, held out his hand to greet the boy. "Not cool, dude," Soul frowned disapprovingly. Jay withdrew his hand, and I was somewhat surprised at the sight of a slight blush of embarrassment.

_Soul has white hair that's swept to one side with a black headband and red eyes. His expression is lazy, droopy, and uninterested. He's wearing a black (leather?) jacket over an orange T-shirt and light brown pants._

"I'm Sam," I introduced myself. I jabbed my thumb in Jay's direction. "This is my best friend, Jay." I assumed that was a decent enough introduction. I assumed we wouldn't be asked any questions. I assumed wrong.

"Are you two partners?" Soul asked.

"Are we what now?" I puzzled.

"Meister and Weapon partners," he said more slowly. "As in, one of you is a Meister and the other is a Weapon?"

I turned to Jay for assistance. He looked as confused as I felt. "We've got no idea what you're talking about," I said, crossing my arms.

He sighed, shaking his head. "You don't know this and you're enrolling at the Academy? That doesn't make any sense."

"Well, talking about how it doesn't make any sense isn't very helpful," I protested defensively.

"Fine," he sighed (again). He droned on, "Meister and Weapon partners carry out missions and stuff. The Weapon is someone, me, for example, who can turn into a Death Weapon, and the Meister is someone who can wield a Weapon." We stared at him blankly. "That means that one of you can turn into a Weapon to be used by the other, the Meister."

Jay and I looked at each other. "Feel like transforming?" he asked feebly.

"Uh, no… I don't. Do you?" I asked, equally weakly.

I was glad when Soul intervened, asking, "Don't either of you have Weapon blood?"

"Our parents were all each other's partners," I explained, remembering what Mom had told me during breakfast this morning. "Jay's mom was my mom's Weapon, and Jay's dad was my dad's Weapon."

"I guess that means _I_ have Weapon blood, huh?" Jay said. "How do I, uh, use it?"

"I'll train you after school today," Soul offered. Jay nodded eagerly. Soul cleared his throat. "Speaking of school," he continued, "I'm supposed to be showing you around now, I guess." He shrugged and turned around, motioning with one hand for us to follow him.

Soul did just that, taking us all around the DWMA. He pointed out the gardens surrounding the Academy, which are "perfect for practice". He led us into the library, which was _huge_. I could probably spend my whole life in there and _still_ not read every book in sight. There's also a dojo, where duels between weapon partners take place. (He also told us that Academy rule says that all fights between weapon pairs must be supervised by DWMA staff.) We get to choose 'missions' at the Reception area, but they have to be approved by the receptionist first. He told us that there were more places around school to see, but that he'd show us them later, because he wanted us to head to class to meet people there first.

So we followed him to our new class, Class Crescent Moon, learning on the way that we're supposed to be part of the EAT (Especially Advanced Talent) Class of the DWMA. I was flattered, in a way, at being called an Especially Advanced Talent. In all honesty, though, I don't see how I'm 'advanced'.

"Here we are," Soul announced, stopping in front of a door with a sign above that read, "Class Crescent Moon". Soul reached his hand out to open the door, but Jay beat him to it, holding the door open. He gestured with his free hand for us to enter, and I thanked him as I stepped past him and into the classroom. The only weird thing was that it wasn't much _like_ a classroom.

_Classes at the Academy resemble lecture halls, with long, connected desks for students and a blackboard and large desk at the center for the teacher. There are large windows at the back of the classroom that look outside at the rest of the campus._

Everyone looked at us as we entered, Jay closing the door behind him. "Ah, I see our new students are here," a man I assumed was our teacher said. "I'm Dr. Stein, and I'm your homeroom teacher. Introduce yourselves and find somewhere to sit so we can get on with today's lesson." He smiled crazily. "I was planning on dissecting a turkey today." The class groaned, but he didn't seem to mind.

_Dr. Stein is a tall man with silver-gray hair and a screw/knob sticking out of his head. He's wearing big, round glasses and a white lab coat with a stitch pattern with dark pants and a gray shirt with a pattern that resembles stitches. He has stitches going down his forehead and under his left eye. His expression is similar to Soul's._

Everyone was staring at us. Soul took this opportunity to slip back to his seat. My throat clogged up, and I probably would've sweat-dropped if I didn't have enough self-control. I didn't think I'd be able to even say my name, so I looked up at Jay, who was looking at me. I swallowed hard and introduced myself as loud as I could. "I-I'm Samantha. I mean, Sam. I mean, my _name_ is Samantha, but you can all just call me Sam." Well, _that_ wasn't embarrassing, huh?

Jay spoke up to introduce himself next, louder and more clearly. "My name's Jay," he said simply. "My parents are both Weapons, so I presume that I'm a Weapon, too." Well, thank you, Jay, for being cooler under pressure than I am! I glared at him, and then looked back at Dr. Stein.

"Alright, now, take a seat somewhere," our teacher said, his eyes now trained on the turkey that was sprawled across his desk. I assumed it was dead, and didn't really want to look at it.

A girl somewhere in the middle of the classroom waved at us, and gestured for us to come over to her. Soul was sitting next to her, and there were two empty seats next to him. Jackpot!

I led Jay up to where they were sitting, but before I could step into the aisle, Jay cut in front of me to sit next to Soul. I glared at him as I took the empty seat on his other side. When I was seated, I leaned over to wave back at the girl who'd call us over. She smiled at me and turned her attention back to the dissection, which I _really_ didn't want to see. Okay, so the people here are nice so far, but the lessons are _dissections_? I don't think I can get used to this no matter _how_ hard I try.

**Author's Note: Thanks for reading! Hope you liked it! :) Let me know what you think!**

**Thanks a thousand tons to my first awesome reviewer, The Black Joker! Thank you! :D **

**The descriptions I used are **_**based**_** on descriptions from the Soul Eater Wikia, but I pretty much paraphrased all of them.**

**Also, I don't know if pickle pies really exist or not. :)**


	3. Chapter 3: Pretty Normal

After Dr. Stein had finished his… _dissection_ (a word I never want to hear again), we were expected to go on our merry way to lunch. Okay, sure, I like to eat, _and_ I'm interested in seeing what kind of food they serve here at the Academy, but how could I be expected to eat normally after witnessing the dissection of an innocent (not to mention huge, so everything inside it was even _more_ visible and _repulsive_) animal?

I got up on dramatically wobbling knees, gripping Jay's shoulder to help me up and pushing off with my other hand on the desk. Jay looked at me strangely. "Uh, Sam?" he called my attention. "Are you okay? You look sick."

I looked up at him, letting go of his shoulder. "That was gross," I groaned, pausing after each word for dramatic effect. I shook my head. "How do they expect me to eat after _that_?" I looked right at him again and saw that he was grinning broadly, trying to keep from laughing at me. "Oh, it isn't funny!" I protested, slapping him on the back harshly.

"OW!" Jay screamed, and tried to contort his arm around to rub the spot where I'd hit him a bit too violently. "That hurt!" he protested, glaring at me. Jay rarely glares at me, so he was probably kind of mad, which was perfectly understandable, since my punishments for ticking me off _always_ hurt.

"Your fault," I snorted indignantly.

The girl from before (the one who waved us over to these seats) cleared her throat, getting our attention. Jay continued rubbing his back, looking cross. She said with a friendly wave and smile, "Hi! I'm Maka Albarn, Soul's Meister."

_Maka has ash blonde hair in pigtails and large olive green eyes. She's wearing a typical schoolgirl outfit and a trench coat that ends like a cloak. She's also wearing a yellow sweater vest over a white blouse, a red plaid skirt, and black boots with white buckles._

"Hi!" I greeted her, trying to sound equally friendly (it didn't work, though; she's out of my league on the scale of friendliness, I guess). "I'm Sam, and I _think_ I'm supposed to be Jay's Meister. We don't really know yet," I admitted.

"Oh, okay!" she replied cheerily. "So, do you want to sit with us at lunch today?"

"Yes, thank you!" I accepted immediately. Jay gave me an odd look. What was with him (besides the fact that I hit him, which was _totally_ called for… right?)? I stared at him for a moment, and then something struck me. "Oh~" I breathed, turning back to Maka and Soul, "I forgot. Jay and I usually sit together at lunch, just the two of us." I looked up at Jay again. "I want to sit with them, but you can still sit by yourself if you want." I carelessly flipped my right ponytail back, ignoring the strange look my best friend was giving me. Okay, sure, maybe I'm being insensitive for not asking him and for insinuating that I'd be willing to ditch him in a heartbeat, knowing that he'll sit with me anyway, but… never mind that!

Maka spoke up. "Alright, let's go," she said. "The others have already left." She was probably right, depending on what 'others' she was talking about, because the class was half empty already, with students filing out of the classroom/lecture hall. We followed them out, Maka informing us that the lunch menu includes food from all over the world.

She finished talking before we got there, so we were pretty much walking in silence. Jay glanced at me as we moved closer to the cafeteria. I glanced back. "Sam, do you think I could talk to you for a second?" he asked.

"You just did talk to me for a second," I pointed out. I stopped walking anyway, thinking that I'd been rude enough for one day.

Maka stopped, too, and Soul did the same. She offered, "We can wait for you, if you want."

Jay shook his head. "No, thanks," he refused. "We'll catch up."

"Okay." She turned back around and continued walking to the lunchroom with Soul.

"So, how's life?" I asked, unable to find a less awkward way to start a conversation.

"Oh, you know," he shrugged.

"Okay, so, what'd you want to talk to me about?"

"Nah, you can forget about it. It's embarrassing," he shrugged (again). Well, if there wasn't anything you wanted to say, why bother (some people!)?

"Fine, then!" I sighed, lifting my arms in exaggerated defeat. "Can we eat now?"

"Bah! Fine, I'll tell you!" he exclaimed, sounding frustrated with himself. Well, it's not like I asked you, anyway! I rolled my eyes, annoyed at his weirdness, but didn't say anything. I folded my arms, as if to say, _"Hurry up! There's a hungry person over here!"_ "You don't have to like someone wherever you go!"

Well, this is awkward. I wanted nothing more than to burst out laughing, so I did. I couldn't help it! I mean, it's enough that I have to fight this gnawing hunger. I have this strange feeling, almost like Jay thinks I'm a moronic ignoramus, so I explained to the best of my (current) ability. "You're insane! You're- totally-, completely- insane!" I spluttered between laughs. He was still looking at me strangely, I knew, so I tried calming myself down enough to further "explain". "You think I like _Soul_? No way! You're insane!" I repeated, the crazy laughter starting up again. I was doubled over now, clutching my sides, which ached from all my laughing. I soon began running out of breath, and eventually had to stop in order to breathe properly.

I looked up at him to determine whether or not he was going to say something anytime soon. He was just glaring at me, probably annoyed at my reaction. I decided to say something instead. "So, you think I like someone wherever I go, huh?" I accused, taking a 180 degree attitude switch.

"Oh, uh, about that… Well, you see, what I meant was, um, uh…" Yeah, it's pretty obvious that he's got nothing good to say. I lifted my hand and held it up to his back, preparing for another violent strike if he didn't say anything. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry!" He backed farther from me.

I rolled my eyes. This was all a waste of time! "Can we eat now, _please_?" I pleaded. Seriously, I'm starving over here!

"One more thing, though," he said, holding a finger up. _Are you kidding me, Jay? Get with the program! I want to eat _now_!_ "Even though you didn't ask, I don't mind sitting with Soul and Maka. They seem… normal."

Instead of fuming about how I _really_ don't care whether or not he finds them "normal", I stomped away in the direction Soul and Maka had gone, hoping to run into the cafeteria if I kept going in this direction. That worked out fairly well, as I found it in little to no time. I didn't have to turn around to know that Jay was following me, trying to keep up with me (I'd sprint a mile if I had to, if there were crispy bacon strips waiting on the other side!). I pushed the double doors open and strode right into the noisy cafeteria, trying to find where my new friends (if having brief conversations makes you friends) were sitting. Maka waved us over, much like she'd done in the classroom/lecture hall. I led the way there, and lingered awkwardly at the head of the table, where other students were occupying most of the seats. They were all staring at us. Aw, darn! I was kind of hoping I wouldn't have any more awkward moments today!

"Uh, hi, I'm Sam," I introduced myself (again) awkwardly, giving a weak smile and wave to the others. Almost as an afterthought, I added, "Oh! This is Jay, my best friend!" I looked around for him and found him standing to my left. "So, uh, yeah…"

A somewhat short boy stood up first and jabbed a thumb at his chest. "I'm the great Black Star! I'm the most awesome, strongest person in the whole _universe_!" Yeah, have fun with that, cool guy.

_Black Star has spiky, star-shaped, bright blue hair and green eyes. He's pretty well-muscled. He's wearing a sleeveless black shirt with a collar that's shaped like a funnel and has two short strips of grey material with rivets going down it, with white trousers that are black below the knees and only slightly shorter than full-length jeans. Strips similar to the ones attached to his shirt's collar are wrapped around his neck like a scarf and his waist like a belt. He has even _more_ rivets (geez, what's with this guy and rivets?) on his pockets and on the ends of his trousers. He's wearing gray fingerless gloves with heavy wrist weights, plus a band going across the back of each hand, adorned with a star. On his feet are black boots with white tips that have a star shape visible on the toe of each boot. He has a star-shaped tattoo on his right shoulder. Is this guy even old enough to _have_ a tattoo? And sure, his name has "Star" in it, but he doesn't have to dress with them all over and get a _tattoo_ of one! Seriously!_

A girl that's sitting beside Black Star stood up and flashed us a kind smile as she rested her hand on his arm. "Black Star, I'm very sorry, but could you please sit down? People are staring…" Wow, she actually seems _normal_! Neat!

"It makes sense that everyone wants to stare the coolest person they'll ever see!" Black Star boasted, laughing with his hands on his hips before sitting down again. Tsubaki smiled at us again, apologetically this time. Seeing as no one else apologized for Black Star's strangeness, I assumed she's Black Star's partner.

_Tsubaki (the normal one) is wearing a pale yellow outfit (sleeveless, like Black Star's) that ends like a skirt and had a slit down the side. It has a bright yellow star emblazoned on the right side of the chest. She has a dark brown scarf and tight dark brown stocking on her right leg that starts just above the knee. On her feet (where else would she wear her shoes?), she has white boots. She has a sash that's similar to Black Star's gray riveted straps that wraps twice around her waist and hangs down diagonally from her right to her left. She has long black hair that's tied up in a high ponytail and large indigo eyes._

Another boy cleared his throat to get everyone's attention. Everyone immediately shut up and looked at him. My first impression: _cute~!_ I ignored myself as he spoke. "My name is Death the Kid, and these are my partners, Liz and Patty." Liz and Patty waved or smiled (or both) at me as he pointed them out.

_Kid is wearing a black business suit with at least six white rectangles along the seam where the sleeves attach to the jacket. Four small rectangles run along the front of his jacket. Under that, he's wearing a formal white dress shirt. A metallic skull rests under his collar and could be used as a sort of tie. He has black hair with three white lines cutting across the left side, stopping in a completely straight line along the front and back of his head. His eyes are two different shades of yellow that ring around his pupil, the outside ring being a bright yellow while the inner ring is a dark yellow, resembling gold (or honey! I'm still hungry~)_

I flashed him a small smile, waving at both Liz and Patty.

_Liz's hair is a light caramel shade of brown that reaches halfway down her back. She has tanned skin and dark blue eyes. She seems to be a lot taller than Patty, who I presume is her sister. Patty has bright blonde hair with bangs that reaches around her chin and light blue eyes. She appears to be much younger than Liz. They're both wearing cowgirl outfits that consist of tight, red, sleeveless, turtleneck belly shirts with white ties and a white sports jacket of the same length on top, plus a cowboy hat and black, high-heel boots. Liz is wearing long jeans and two silver bracelets on each wrist and Patty is wearing puffy shorts. Their hats are also different. Patty's hat has rounded rims and Liz's hat has rims that slant forward. Their personalities seem very different._

Okay, so, I'm with _partially_ normal people. Jay was _kind of_ right about that. This bothered me, of course. Well, _anyway_, I suddenly remembered that Jay was with me as I pondered whether I should wait for an invitation to sit or just take the empty seat next to Tsubaki, realizing that I should _probably_ sit next to him, since we're best friends and whatnot…

Maka cleared her throat and said, "You're welcome to sit down, you know. There are two seats over there." She gestured over to where Liz was sitting, across from Tsubaki, where there were, in fact, two empty seats. Thus, we sat in them! Hurrah~!

I couldn't help but feel awkward, though, since everyone was still watching the two of us. I decided that I should probably say something, but Jay said something first. Good for him! "So, which of you guys are partners?" he asked. I realized that I probably should've wondered about that, too.

"I, the amazing Black Star, am Tsubaki's Meister!" you-know-who boasted.

Death the Kid said, "Liz and Patty are my Weapons, twin pistols."

"Soul's my Weapon," Maka said.

Alright, now that _that's_ clear, what are we supposed to talk about? Thankfully, we didn't have to talk about anything! Everyone ignored me and Jay and broke into separate conversations. I've never felt so happy to be ignored!

**Author's Note: Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed! Let me know what you think!**

**As it turns out, pickle pies really **_**do**_** exist! Who'd have thought?**

**Once again, descriptions are **_**based**_** on those from the Soul Eater Wikia, but I pretty much paraphrased (reworded) all of them.**


	4. Chapter 4: Feel Like Transforming?

After school that day, Soul was going to help Jay with his transformation thing, and I didn't want to walk back to the apartments alone, so I waited and watched. We were in front of the school's entrance. As I sat there watching, it suddenly occurred to me that I wasn't alone. I turned to my right and started at the sight of Maka sitting next to me.

She turned to me and smiled, seemingly oblivious to my surprise at her presence. "Hi, Sam!" she greeted. "Do you want me to help you practice, too?" she offered.

"Practice what?" I puzzled, furrowing my eyebrows. I didn't know I actually had to _do_ something!

"You know, like, a technique?" she elaborated. "It depends on what Weapon Jay transforms into, of course, so I guess it can wait."

_Okay, so if Jay transforms, I'm expected to actually get up and _exercise_? Don't transform, Jay!_ "I hope he's a hammer!" I said excitedly instead.

"Why do you want him to be a hammer?" Maka asked.

"…Uh, no reason," I dismissed quickly. I decided not to tell her about my experience with hammers from a few years back. My parents were doing some yard work and wanted me to help them tear down the old shed so that we had space for a new swing set. They'd given me one of the smaller hammers that they'd purchased from a home renovation store so that I'd be able to lift it, and so I lifted it back over my shoulder and started smashing everything! I felt so alive!

About fifteen minutes had passed, and Jay still hadn't transformed. We watched as Soul demonstrated and Jay tried, over and over again. When I was about to suggest we pack it in for the day, it happened. In a flash of icy blue light, Jay vanished, and in his place on the ground was a giant machete. Okay, sure, it's kind of cool, but I'm still disappointed that he isn't a hammer.

_In Weapon form, Jay is a long, sharp blade with a pointed tip that stretches out more on one side and a firm black handle. Most blades are silver, but for some reason, Jay is an icy shade of blue. On the top corner of the blade is a big, round blue eye._

Maka and I shot up immediately and rushed over. "Wow, cool!" I exclaimed. _Not as cool as a hammer, though!_ I decided not to add that last part.

"You should try lifting him," Maka suggested. _Sure, why not? I'm sure machetes are as light as feathers!_

I bent over and tried lifting the blade (from the handle!) anyway. I was kind of freaked out at the realization that Weapon form Jay (what else am I expected to call him?) actually _is_ as light as a feather. I kept switching hands, trying to see if there was any difference in weight. Nope.

"Quick, tell me what I look like!" Jay's voice came excitedly. I was a little spooked at first. Where is there a _mouth_ on this thing? I twisted it around, but couldn't find one.

"You're a giant machete," I explained briefly.

He grunted. "That's it? Tell me more," he insisted.

"You can look at yourself in a mirror when you get home!" I snorted, slipping easily into annoyance.

"Fine," he grumbled, unsatisfied.

Maka cleared her throat. I looked at her. "So, do you want our help with a technique, or don't you?"

"Oh, yeah, sure," I shrugged. It suddenly occurred to me that being so nonchalant was a bit rude, so I flashed them a grateful smile. "And thank you!" I beamed.

Jay, who definitely _isn't_ a hammer, transformed back before we could move, though. "Yeah, thanks," he said, nodding towards them. "I just… told my mom I'd be home before the sun starts falling asleep." He glanced up at the sky, where the sun was, in fact, beginning to fall asleep.

I chuckled, and everyone stared at me. "What? The sun looks pretty darn funny!" I insisted.

Soul shook his head disapprovingly. "That's not cool at all," he said, his voice pretty monotone.

Maka sighed. "That's okay. Papa thinks it's funny, too," she said. This wasn't very useful information to me. I don't know Maka's dad, after all. "So, I guess we'll see you tomorrow, huh?" We said our goodbyes and split up, Maka and Soul walking off together one way, and Jay and I starting down the stairs to walk back to our own homes.

"Remember that hammer I told you about, back when my parents were trying to make room for that old swing set we had?" I brought up the topic casually.

"Yeah, that sounds kind of familiar," he said, equally casually, with his hands in his pockets. We were starting down the third block now.

"That was a pretty cool tool, don't you think? It would have made a pretty dangerous weapon," I remarked, stealing a glance at him. Messing with people is fun~!

"Sam?"

"What's up?"

"Shut up," he said brusquely. I grinned. My evilness is starting to rub off on him!

We finished walking in silence, and I was exhausted by the time we reached the apartments, panting and sweaty. Once again, I was irritated at the sight of Jay, who wasn't tired at all. We each pulled out the keys to our separate apartments.

As soon as I opened the door, I was shoved, full force, backward, with a familiar ginger gripping me much too tightly. I pried her arms off me and glared at Jay, who was laughing at me. "Oh, go home already," I snapped. Looking down at Gwen, I said, "What's up, kiddo?"

She grabbed my hand and pulled me inside. I shut the door behind me with my free hand. "Mom says I'm going to start going to your school, Sammy!" she cheered. Gwen is one of the few people I wouldn't attack for calling me "Sammy".

"What do you mean, you're starting the DWMA?" I puzzled.

"Well, you know how I didn't go to school today because I wasn't enrolled anywhere? Well, Mom says that's because I didn't have a partner, while you and Jay had each other. She says that she spoke to the principal guy, and he said that there are other students who don't have partners either!" She was jumping up and down now, holding both of my hands. "So I'm starting tomorrow, and I'm going to have my own partner!" Seriously, Gwen is too enthusiastic about life. She doesn't even know anything about the Academy yet! Not even _I_ did, when I started today.

"That's great, Gwen," I said, offering a weak smile. "Still, you do realize that it's not like a regular school, don't you?" She stopped her giddy jumping and her expression changed into one of confusion. "Today, my class had to watch our teacher conduct a –" I couldn't finish that sentence. If I ever hear that word again, my precious lunch will come right up. "An experiment," I finished weakly. That wasn't a _total_ lie. I'm sure he was just curious as to what the insides of a turkey look like….

"Who cares? I like science!" she beamed. Yeah, she really doesn't get the picture.

"Right…" I offered another weak smile.

"Mom was explaining to me about the whole Weapon and Meister deal," the little red-head continued. "She told me all about missions and everything. It sounds like so much fun!" It _sounds_ like Mom told _her_ more than she told _me_!

I was going to reply (more like complain!), but before I could, a low growl escaped my stomach. "Excuse me," I said, stepping around Gwen and trying to remember where the kitchen was. I mean, I only moved in yesterday! I soon found it, along with my mother, who was sitting at a small round table that definitely _wasn't_ there this morning whilst munching on a snack bar.

"Hey, coconut quiche!" she greeted me. She ignored my puzzled expression and asked, "How was your first day?"

"It was okay," I replied, heading straight toward the small fridge to find ingredients for a sandwich. I decided not to tell her about the horrifying dissection that probably scarred me for life. "Jay's a machete," I informed her.

"Oh, that's cool," she commented.

"I guess so," I shrugged, moving on to the toaster with two slices of bread. "He could be cooler, though."

"You're criticizing your best friend like that?" she puzzled. Before I could say anything, though, she continued, "Then again, Raven was my best friend when I went to the Academy, and I didn't like her Weapon form at first."

"What was it?"

"Oh, she was a hammer," my mother said nonchalantly.

I dropped my now-toasted bread in surprise (luckily the plate was right below my hand). My mother's partner was a _hammer_? She's so lucky! And that hammer is Jay's mom? Why can't _he_ be a hammer? I was now very frustrated. I gave up on my sandwich and just ate the bread alone.

"Can I go over to Jay's?" I asked around a mouthful of bread. Jay's family used to live next to us before, too.

"Sure thing, honeydew muffin!" she approved. I hope honeydew muffins at least _taste_ good….

I made sure to swallow the last of the bread before knocking on Jay's door. Jay's dad opened. "Hey, kiddo," he greeted me, patting my head as if I were his own daughter.

_Jay's dad, Robin, is a tall man that's both smart and funny. He's a lot like my own dad, his Meister. I have no idea what his Weapon form is, but I'll probably find out soon. Right now he's wearing a black polo and khaki pants. He has short black hair and sea-green (kind of blue) eyes._

"Hi!" I greeted in return. "Is Jay here?" _Of course he's here! We walked home together!_

"Yeah, he is!" Jay's dad grinned. "If that's all…" He started slowly closing the door. I rolled my eyes and stuck my foot in the way of the closing door, prying it back open with my hands. He laughed. "I'll go get him."

I stood there waiting for Jay to appear, which he did, not much later. "Sam?"

I snorted. "You think any other girl would visit you?"

"I'm sure they would if I paid them!" he joked. I took a step closer so that I could place my hand in the air behind his back, and, before he could process the situation and move back, I slapped his back. "OW!" he screamed, trying to rub his back by twisting his arm around, much like he'd done the last time. "Stop doing that!" he complained.

"You're not the boss of me," I said snootily, folding my arms.

"Why did you even come here? Did you just want to hurt me?" Jay is so funny when he's mad~!

"No, I came here because I want to go explore the neighborhood!" I just thought that up. I actually only came here because I was bored….

"Go explore it with someone else! You're mean!" Wow, he seems really mad at me… Maybe I should stop hitting him?

"Okay, I'm sorry for hitting you! Gosh!"

He sighed. "Just don't hit me anymore. It hurts! I don't think you realize your own strength."

"I'm going to take that as a compliment!" I smiled.

He shrugged. "It might have been, in a sense," he reasoned. "Still, you shouldn't go around hitting people! It's inhumane!"

"I _don't_ go around hitting people," I argued. "You're the only one I'd actually physically harm!" Wow, that sounds _really_ bad.

"Go home, Sammy," he said. He's another one of the people who can get away with calling me "Sammy". He started closing the door. At the last second, he said, "I'll explore the neighborhood with you tomorrow." Then the door was closed.

I started at the sound of my own apartment door opening. Gwen's head poked out. "Aw, did your little boyfriend dump you?" she teased as I slid past her into the apartment.

"Go home, Gwen," I said, ignoring her as she followed me to my own room. When I got there, I closed the door behind me.

**Author's Note: Thanks for reading, and I hope you liked it! Let me know what you think (that means review, people!)! :)**

**Oh, the drama! Jay must be unhappy with being "physically harmed" by his best friend! **

**If you liked it, favorite and review please~!**


	5. Chapter 5: Have Something To Say?

I felt very cross when I woke the next morning, slamming hard down on my alarm clock as I blinked one eye open. It's that time of day again, the time that I'm expected to get up and walk _five blocks_ and stairs right after I get up, running on some toast and orange juice. That's pretty much what happened yesterday, anyway. Today, however, I have to take Gwen with me, and walk in awkward silence with her and Jay, who is agitated with the measures I take to ensure that he doesn't do anything potentially stupid. Wow, putting it that way makes my violent tendencies sound much better! I forced myself up and changed.

_Since I woke up feeling a bit bitter, I'm wearing a dark, dark red T-shirt and black jean shorts with black sneakers. My hair is in the same style as yesterday, two side ponytails, with black hair-ties and an average-sized black bow on one side._

I left my room and headed to the kitchen, where I prepared my usual buttered toast, gulped down a glass of orange juice, and, in a sudden epiphany, realized that I was supposed to wake Gwen up. Presuming that she was still asleep, I opened her door and strode right in. I was a bit surprised to see her already up and dressed, chewing a half-eaten bowl of salad while watching the cartoons they give early in the morning. How is it even _possible_ that she woke up earlier than me?

"Oh, hi," she said, swallowing a chewed mouthful of lettuce. "Are you ready to go?"

"Well, yeah, but… Did you wake yourself up?" I inquired.

"Yeah, I heard your alarm. I know you always leave your door open at night. You're scared of the dark, right?"

With Gwen, it's better not to deny anything. "How did you know that?"

"I just figured. It's okay," she shrugged. "I leave my door open at night, too. I always imagine that shadow monsters will come out from under my bed or something. No big deal." As long as she doesn't actually start _seeing_ these supposed "shadow monsters", it's no big deal. "Are we leaving now? I keep hearing noise on the other side of the wall. Jay's probably waiting for us by now."

"Yeah, probably," I agreed. "Finish up fast. I'll wait for you right outside." It's not that I don't want to stay here watching cartoons with Gwen, but more like I don't want her to see me apologize for being a… well, you know.

I left the room, leaving the door open, and stepped out of the apartment. As was suspected, Jay was standing there, leaning back against the wall across from the door to his family's own apartment. "Hi," he greeted as I stepped out to join him.

"Hey," I replied. After a few moments of silence, I gathered my nerve and said, "Um, sorry." I've known Jay long enough to know that he's pretty good at being able to tell what I'm talking about.

"Yeah, I figured you'd say that." Well, _excuse me_! "And don't look so offended," he continued. "I'm used to you, you know. We've been friends for forever. And before you say anything," he said just as I was opening my mouth to interrupt, "I _know_ you know that already. I was just trying not to offend you by explaining my response to your blunt and simple way of apologizing." I'm assuming that was a bit of an insult. I'm not going to say anything, though, considering this conversation came up in the first place because of me. At least I don't feel as bitter as I did when I woke up today.

We stood there, leaning against the wall, for what I'm guessing was about two minutes, until Gwen finally stepped out.

_Gwen is wearing a gray romper that looks almost exactly like denim overalls (except it's gray, of course) with a white T-shirt under, along with a white bow pinning one side of her loose wavy hair back, plus black flats._

"Sorry to keep you waiting," she said, stepping aside for me to lock the door with my key.

After that, we trekked to the Academy, and I was, once again, exhausted by the time we reached the top of the steps. Of course, Jay was fine (_again_). To my surprise, Gwen was fine, too. Where do these people keep their energy? Well, you know what? I have ginger – oh, wait. So does Gwen. Now none of my excuses are even partially valid…. Darn!

"Wow, Sam. You look gross," Gwen sneered, sticking her tongue out at me teasingly when I looked up to glare at her. I stopped glaring to glance at Jay, making sure that he didn't make the mistake of laughing at me again. He didn't. He's a fast learner.

"Shut up, Gwen," I hissed, straightening my back and letting go of my knees and chest.

I strode ahead of them, taking quick and careful steps to the entrance. Behind me, I heard Jay say to Gwen, "You might not want to tease her about her defects. She'll mortally wound you."

I whipped around. "Do _you_ want to know what being mortally wounded feels like?" I seethed.

"Uh, I'll have to pass on that one, thanks," he said quickly, waving his hands as a sign of surrender.

I turned back around again and headed to my own class. I got there first, and realized that I was alone once I was facing the door. Other kids were still walking up and down the halls; the bell hadn't rung yet. Still, there weren't so many kids that Jay and Gwen could lose sight of me. Oh, wait… It's Gwen's first day; she's bound to get lost. Jay is probably walking her to her class. Maybe I should have done that, since she's my little sister? Well, it's too late now.

I shoved the door open, having regained the ability to use my muscles on the way here. I proceeded into the classroom and headed up to where I'd sat yesterday, with Maka and Soul. I hadn't noticed yesterday, since I didn't know anyone else until lunch, but Tsubaki is next to Maka, and there's an empty seat next to her, which I'm assuming belongs to Black Star. I took Soul's currently empty seat, making a mental note to switch seats when he gets here.

"Hi," I greeted.

"Hi!" Maka said. "Are you ready for another day at the Academy?"

"About that… Are dissections daily? I don't think I can handle that."

They laughed. Tsubaki said, "Don't worry. Dr. Stein doesn't _always_ do dissections. I mean, he can't keep showing us the same thing over and over. We have to learn. He's not a bad teacher, once you're used to his… methods." She offered a weak smile. I take it this is her way of saying yes to my question without actually saying yes.

I shuddered. "Don't worry about it too much," Maka said. "The Academy isn't only about sitting here in class and just _having_ a partner. You have to do missions."

Missions… I recall Soul mentioning missions when he was showing us around. I think he said we have to apply for them at the reception area. "What are missions?" I asked.

They stared at me. Finally, Maka explained, "Well, missions are jobs you can apply for at the reception area." Yeah, I've got that part down, thanks. "You do whatever your job is to do."

"Basic missions are generally hunting Evil Humans and collecting souls, but there are other types, too," Tsubaki put in. "Sometimes you're called in to do a specific mission by Shinigami himself!" I think "Shinigami" is like the principal of the DWMA, but I've never actually met him myself. I feel like I don't know very much about the Academy, and I don't.

I was about to ask what she meant by "Evil Humans" and "collecting souls" when the bell rang. At that same moment, Dr. Stein burst through the door in a wheelchair, wheeling himself over to his desk. Once he'd reached it, his wheelchair slammed into the side of the desk, and he flipped backward, the back of the wheelchair flat on the ground. The whole class guffawed; the part that was present, anyway. Jay, Soul, and Black Star still hadn't arrived. I don't know about Soul and Black Star, but I do know that Jay doesn't like to be late. What's keeping him? Did he and Gwen get lost?

Dr. Stein took attendance and began his lesson. Conveniently enough, he gave a short description of Evil Humans. They are people whose souls are becoming Kishin Eggs, or already are Kishin Eggs. I don't know what a "Kishin" is, so for now, I'll just have to add it to my list of things I don't know. While I'm at it, I might as well add "where Jay is" to that list, too.

Maka and Tsubaki, who probably know everything there is to know about Evil Humans, Kishin Eggs, and a Kishin, whatever that is, were whispering, "Where are those idiots?" I assume they're talking about Soul and Black Star, who can probably be considered their own personal idiots.

I continued listening to what Dr. Stein was saying. "Now, as you know, if you go on a mission and don't collect any souls, there's a penalty. Either you're assigned an extra lesson or a punishment." He smiled strangely at the word "punishment". I shivered.

"Dr. Stein, we know all this already," some too-smart-for-all-of-you guy called from the row in front of us.

Our teacher turned around and stared at him. His glasses glinted in the light. "Well, Ox, why don't you ask our new student about it?" He turned and stared straight at me, like everyone else was now doing. I gulped. "I'm sure she knows _all_ about Evil Humans."

So, the too-smart-for-all-of-you guy, who Dr. Stein just called "Ox", looked back at me, too. He stared at me for a few seconds. I stared back. _He_ would look like an idiot if I didn't know what he was talking about, right? Surely it wouldn't be _my_ fault that I don't have the faintest idea about the topic beside what I just learned from the brief lesson. We continued staring at each other for a little while.

_Ox is a strange-looking boy, especially in the way he styles his hair. It's almost all shaved off, entirely bald except for two bunches of black hair behind his ears that are shaped into sharp points (presumably with gel), that resemble horns. They look so gelled that it seems nearly impossible to reshape them or even remove them. He has thick glasses that completely cover his eyes, fitted with side shields. He's wearing a white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up, plus a black tie over a black sweater vest and a belt with black trousers and black shoes._

Finally, he shook his head and muttered much too loudly, "She probably doesn't know much of anything."

"How do you know?" I snapped at him. So maybe sometimes I have trouble containing myself? It's not _my_ fault! I was born this way!

Dr. Stein intervened before I could. "Settle down, you two. I don't have time to supervise a fight." Who said we were going to fight? I'm not _that_ aggressive, that I would go around picking fights. "Besides, Sam and her partner, who currently isn't even here, are amateurs who've probably only sliced through loaves of bread." Sure, that's not offensive, thanks Dr. Stein. He regained everyone's attention and said, "Now, let's get back to –"

He was cut off by the door swinging open, revealing a sweating, panting Jay. He took deep breaths until he was able to regain his composure enough to speak. When he did, I'm probably not the only one who wished he hadn't. "There's an attack! There's an attack! You have to help – Soul and Black Star – they're fighting them now!"

**Author's Note: **

**Cliffhanger! What's going to happen next? Who's attacking? Why was Jay with Soul and Black Star when he was supposed to head straight to class after dropping off Gwen? How are Soul and Black Star fighting when they're not with their partners? The answers are just around the bend! :)**

**Thanks for reading, everyone! I really hope you enjoyed this chapter (and the other chapters, of course)! Be sure to leave a review to let me know what you think! :)**

**Descriptions are based on those from the Soul Eater Wikia, but I paraphrase them to avoid copyright infringement. :) **


	6. Chapter 6: Think You Can Resonate?

Dr. Stein got up from his chair and said, "Alright, let's go. Everyone… study something. Maka, Tsubaki, and Sam," he called to us, "you three come with me. These are your partners, after all." The three of us stepped around the desks to the front of the classroom/lecture hall. "And… Ox, you watch the class." Ox nodded with a serious expression spread across his face.

We were working our way down the hall at a quick and steady pace when it struck me that I don't know how to fight or even wield my Weapon. Now what? I can't just turn around and return to the classroom and leave them alone. I'm not completely selfless, as in I wouldn't give a stray coin I found on the sidewalk to Gwen, but I'm not completely unfair either. (If Gwen needed it to buy frozen yogurt or something, I'd probably _consider_ giving it to her.)

Besides, Jay probably plans on staying to help, too, and I can't very well just go and leave him alone without his Meister, no matter how inexperienced I am – how inexperienced we both are.

We reached the front of the Academy, where Soul and Black Star were, in fact, trying to fend off the attackers, whoever they are. Just as I was wondering how no one else noticed that the Academy was under attack by a bunch of morons who think they can defeat trained brawlers (excluding Jay, Gwen, me, and any other new kids that are also wondering what they're doing here), I saw two others: a blue zombie and his Weapon, a combat knife. For now, I'm going to pretend that I'm not scared that a zombie will eat my brain(s). I'm going to appear indifferent at the sight of a zombie fighting fiercely with a combat knife.

I'm going to act just as cool, calm, and collected as the others. Jay, who was now standing to my right, gave me a sideways glance. He probably doesn't care much for zombies either. However, strange as it seems (to me, anyway), they (the zombie, along with his partner, the combat knife) seem to be fighting on our side.

Dr. Stein approached the zombie and knife pair. "Sid, Nygus, who are these people?" he asked, not seeming affected by the fighting. Well, he _is_ an experienced fighter, and there aren't so many of them, so I don't really blame him.

"We don't know, but they aren't the strongest opponents. I'm not bragging that I'm stronger than them, though. That's not the kind of man I was," the blue zombie (Sid, I'm guessing) said. I guess he wants to stay himself, even if he isn't a human anymore. That's kind of a nice thing, if you think about it.

On another note, I think Jay may have exaggerated a bit. Soul and Black Star, plus Sid and Nygus, seem to have everything pretty much under control. Soul is using himself, fighting with his arm as a scythe itself. Black Star is on fire, too. He's using brute strength, plus some sort of light or lightning attack or something. I can't say for sure what it is, but it definitely looks painful, judging by the way his two opponents look like they wish they were dead. Maybe someday I'll be able to do the same to my own opponents. It's an eerie thought.

I pushed my fist lightly into Jay's arm. He was staring blankly ahead. "This is the big attack?" I scoffed. "It looks like everything is under control." Jay didn't reply. He was still staring straight ahead, just as Dr. Stein was still talking to Sid and Nygus. I noticed that Maka and Tsubaki were silent as well. "Jay?" I said. I waved my hand in front of his face. "Are you still there?"

He grabbed me by the wrist and leaned his head toward me. I watched him as everything grew quieter. "Look," he whispered to me. I followed his gaze, holding my breath. I gasped, for right there, only several meters away from the fighting, which had temporarily halted as everyone stopped and stared, was one type of creature I feared most: a witch.

She fit the exact description of a witch in my mind: the long dark hair, the dark outfit, the broomstick she was sitting on, and, most surprisingly, a hood with rounded ears that reminds me of a bear. This is really freaky. Had I seen her two seconds ago, I would have taken the opportunity to turn tail and run. The only problem was that she definitely _wasn't there_ two seconds ago. I would have seen her. I _know_ I would've.

I looked around me. Everyone was still watching her in stunned silence. "My, my," she said, her voice dripping like honey, only it wasn't sweet-sounding at all. "I was hoping that by releasing my Soul Protect, I would get to at least learn your names." She sighed. "And I was so looking forward to having a conversation."

"Who are you?" Stein demanded, shifting into a battle stance.

"My, my," she said again. "Greeting someone you don't know with such brusqueness is quite impolite," she sighed. "Well, since you asked, I'm called Kuma. It's just a nickname I got a few years ago, but I've come to like it. You _could_ call me that, but my name is actually— Wait, why should I tell you that?" She shrugged. "Anyway, I'm what you call a 'witch'." She pouted. "It's a very mean title to give someone, don't you think?" She stepped off her broomstick and came closer. "I came here to meet someone. He's the one you call Shinigami, I believe. I have a proposal for him. You can stop your fighting, kiddies," she said to the attackers (who currently weren't attacking). Everyone stepped back as she grew closer and closer. Soon she was practically in front of Soul and Black Star. "Well, aren't any of you going to take me to him?" There was silence, and then she sighed, "No one will? You folks at Shibusen aren't as nice as I expected you to be."

"Why should we be nice to someone who attacked our school?" Maka countered.

Kuma waggled her finger at Maka. "Tsk, tsk. I wanted to see if this was worth my time by testing your strength, that's all." She frowned. "It's a shame that not all of you got to show off your skills to me. I just didn't want to lose all my minions, you know?"

"Why should we do anything _you_ say?" Black Star spat. "_I'm_ the big star here, not you."

Dr. Stein glanced at Sid. Sid said, "I'll fetch him. We have to wrap this up. I won't leave any class unsupervised any longer. That's not the kind of man I was."

"Yeah," Stein shrugged. "Sam and Jay, you two head back to class with Tsubaki. Black Star, Maka, and Soul will stay here with Sid and Nygus."

He turned to head to Shinigami's office, or wherever else he is (how am I to know?) when Maka spoke. "Um, professor, don't you think it'd be better for Sam and Jay to get some battle experience?"

He stopped and turned his head to her. "Fine, but make sure that they don't die."

Maka let out a breath. "Alright, professor," she agreed. He strolled on.

"Well, if your little intermission is over, I'm quite interested in your performance," Kuma said. "Let's go." She clapped her hands twice, and her "minions" seemed to snap, their eyes widening and their pupils dilated. They almost immediately started swinging their weapons around (ordinary swords, not Demon Weapons).

The first thing I did was panic. I don't know how to fight! How many times do I have to admit that before people start getting the picture? Jay shook my shoulder, freeing me from my panicky haze. I looked at him and nodded, and he changed into a machete. I took care to grab the handle instead of the blade. Soul transformed into a scythe, and Maka gripped him firmly in her hand. Tsubaki transformed into a long silver blade with a yellow, black, and gray handle. Black Star readied himself in a battle stance, firmly holding the handle.

Everything happened so quickly. An enemy wearing an all-black outfit with brown gloves and rounded ears came charging toward me with his sword raised above his head. I acted on impulse and blocked his attack with Jay, ignoring the clanking of metal surrounding me as everyone fought their own battles. Wouldn't it have been easier for Dr. Stein to have eliminated everyone and then taken the witch in as a prisoner for attacking? Doesn't that make more sense than leaving students (and Sid and Nygus) alone to fight? The minion immediately pulled his sword back and was about to attempt at slashing me again. What am I supposed to do so that I don't die?

"Sam!" Maka shouted to me. I couldn't turn to her; it could mean the difference between life and death for both me and Jay. "You're too weak to fight now, so try to–" She broke off, presumably to block an attack or to make her own move. "Try Soul Resonance. You have to match your soul wavelength with Jay's."

I have no idea what that means, nor do I have time to think about it. I've only been blocking, over and over again, and my opponent doesn't appear to be tiring. I'll have to attack him. I can deal with "Soul Resonance", whatever that is, afterward. I swung Jay back over my head and did the only thing I could think of doing with a machete: I sliced straight forward. The agonizing scream was satisfying. I could win, maybe. Maybe I had already won. Blood was spewing like a fountain out of the victim's head. That's going to leave a mark. Somehow, he didn't seem fazed. Screaming and bleeding were the only things I got to make me feel less useless. Another minion joined this one now. What am I to do? I could barely handle one of them!

"Sam," Jay said, speaking through a mouth that I still haven't been able to locate, "let's try that thing Maka said. I mean Soul Resonance," he clarified as I spun him rapidly to block two attacks at once. I think I'm starting to get better at blocking, at least.

"Okay," I agreed, ducking my head just in time to avoid having it slashed clean off my shoulders by the second attacker. At least the first attacker is slower to attack now that he has a head wound. I spun the blade around and around to block any potential attacks and leapt backward. I allowed myself a second to close my eyes and concentrate. My feelings and thoughts became mutual in that moment, and I felt a connection between Jay and I. It was a very strange feeling. My eyes burst open.

"Soul Resonance!" my partner and I shouted in unison. Power surged through me in a way I'd never felt before. I felt my energy rushing through me, pouring over into my Weapon, which appears to have increased in size. "Soul Strike," I yelled. I spun around in a circle, swinging Jay around me. After spinning for a few times, I planted my foot in the ground, stopped Jay just as he was going to spin around me again, drew him back, and dashed at my opponents, slashing them both with a fierce blow. After that, the energy drained out of me in a millisecond, and I returned to my usual weak, energy-lacking self.

My opponents sagged to the ground and lay there in front of me. I stared at them, surprised at the sudden strength that Jay and I had unleashed upon them. I knew I wouldn't be able to fight any longer, so I stumbled closer to them on wobbling knees. I was just about to deliver the killing blows when I heard something that stopped me in my tracks.

Someone screeched, "_Stop!_" Doing as they said was probably one of the worst things I've ever done.

**Author's Note: I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter! And yes, that **_**is**_** another cliffhanger! Hurrah! :D**

**I'd like to thank my two new reviewers, TheManInTheHat and JLoKazami! And while I'm at it, thanks to The Black Joker, my first and loyal reviewer! You can all have invisible cookies with no texture, taste, smell, weight, or mass. :D And another thanks to TheManInTheHat for following the story and to Fishpuppy for the favorite. :) It makes my attempts at humor sound worth it! Yahoo! **

**Oh, and if you didn't know, Kuma, which is what I'm calling the witch, is Japanese for "bear". I was thinking of Kuma Tsume, since Tsume means "claw". That would be "bear claw", or "claw bear", depending on how you want to read it. I decided that Kuma alone sounds better. If you beg to differ, then I'll confiscate your invisible cookies. :3**

**Alright, that's it for Chapter 6! Let me know what you think! As for the next chapter… read it, or I'll take your soul! XD**


	7. Chapter 7: Key To Normality?

**A/N: Alright, everyone! Time for Chapter 7! Before that, though, I'd like to address some things. **

**First, why would Stein leave weak children to fight a witch? The answer is: he's insane (ah, that Stein…). **

**Second, why did the last chapter have numerous obvious mistakes? I didn't have time to edit it. So, yeah, sorry 'bout that. :( **

**Third, where are my OCs in this story (Jay and Sam and their families) from? The answer is: anywhere and everywhere! Their families move a lot, but they always and only move together, as a single unit. **

**Fourth, why hasn't Crona made an appearance yet? That's because he's on a mission away! (That's secret code for "I forgot to put him there when Sam and Jay met the original Soul Eater cast and had to make an excuse for it". :3)**

**Fifth, if Sam called Kid cute (not out loud, of course), does that mean that there will be romance between them? That's not necessarily true (although it would be nifty, right?), as Kid and Sam aren't really compatible personality-wise. Sorry to crush your hopes, if you had any. **

**Sixth (wow, I've covered a lot so far), will Jay and Sam go through that whole "in-love-with-your-childhood/best-friend" drama? To you I say, "Pfft, you **_**actually**_** think I'm going to **_**tell**_** you that? **_**No way**_**!" **

**Fin. Chapter 7 commencing…**

Red is a nice color. In fact, it's my favorite color. Why am I scared of it, then? Why am I scared of all the red that is probably coming from my mouth and torso? Why am I afraid, period? What's going on?

As it turns out, that shout was not meant for me; it was a screech called by someone else to the enemy behind me. If I had _not_ stopped, I could have had a chance to move, even if I hadn't known that someone was behind me.

I'm not good at battles. I get too tired, and I'm so weak… I wonder why that is. It's probably because I don't do any exercise outside of gym class (or class_es_, considering how many times I've moved and, as a result, switched schools). I wonder why I can't get back up from the ground where I collapsed. How can I consciously know that I'm on the ground when the world around me is black? Is it because my eyes are closed? How can I open them? Am I dreaming? Why would I be dreaming when I'm supposed to be fighting? Which way is up, and which way is down, I know not. I only know that I have a throbbing pain in my chest.

I feel something strange. Am I being summoned to the next world, after only one battle? No, it isn't a feeling – I think I'm hearing something. It's a word that starts with an "s"… Is it a sandwich? Is it a witch in the sand? A witch… that witch… Is it her fault that I feel such excruciating pain? I thought about it longer. That word… what word was it? I don't hear it any longer. I think I'll just sit here quietly. Where is "here", though? Why am I still conscious when I shouldn't be? Could it be because I'm slowly slipping away from unconsciousness? Yes, surely that is it.

"Sam!" I understand it now. Someone is calling my name. I should probably open my eyes. How do I do that again? I can't remember. I'm frightened and paranoid, but why?

"Sam!" There it is again. My shoulders shook… surely not because of me. My head hurt. My eyes finally opened.

"Mmmuhmmmah," I mumbled in some foreign language I must have learned while I was unconscious.

I heard multiple sighs of relief in reply. "Oh, thank goodness," an especially familiar voice sighed. That must be Jay. I glanced at him. Then it occurred to me that the battle was already over. Where am I now? My gaze flickered about the room.

"You're in the Dispensary," Dr. Stein informed me, noticing my puzzlement.

"Ah," I sighed. "Wait, what? Why?"

"You got stabbed in the back and passed out," Jay said. "The others finished up outside. The witch is with Shinigami-sama now. She'll probably be punished for the attack on the Academy, and she _will_ be punished for the harm she indirectly caused you."

"_Indirectly_?" another familiar voice said in disbelief. "This is all her fault! Sissy could've died! You know how weak she is!" Ah, yes. They must have called Gwen over. It's her first day and she's already missing class. Wait a second… Did she just insult me? _And_ call me "sissy"? Not on my watch!

"_Hey_!" I hissed at her. "I tolerate you calling me 'Sammy', but no 'sissies', got that?" I could see her smirking at me. I was feeling better enough by now to at least pull her hair or something, but I still couldn't move. To my right was a machine, and looking down, I saw a tube connecting me to it by the arm. My body was strapped to the bed so that I wouldn't move and mess with the bandages wrapping my torso and whatnot. "And I'm _not_ weak!" Okay, so maybe I'm _kind of_ weak, but she doesn't have to actually _say_ it! "Have someone stab you and see how _you_ like it!" I added once my attention had returned to her. She was grinning at me, one step away from laughing. How I'd love to punish her for offending me!

Looking around and taking in my surroundings once more (and more effectively this time), I saw that my other friends (if that's what we are, even after such short time) were grinning as well. "You're all mean," I pouted.

Jay gave in and began his fit of laughter. Such ridiculing will not be tolerated! If I could move, I'd hurt him! Death the Kid, who was currently _not_ laughing at me, cleared his throat. Everyone turned to him, and Jay struggled to contain himself.

"I think you'll agree with me that Sam and Jay could use some training in strength, speed, and stamina," Kid declared. "I think that Maka should train Sam, and Tsubaki or Soul should train Jay. What do you think?" he asked no one in particular.

Everyone was silent, probably because they were thinking about it. Who would want to take on two inexperienced new kids? I wouldn't. Finally, Tsubaki spoke up. I guess _she's_ nice enough to actually consider training Jay and me. "I think that's a great idea. I can help Jay, and Black Star can help Sam, if you'd like." She looked at me. "What do you think?" she asked. She probably only bothered asking for my consent because she doesn't think I'd like to be trained by Black Star any more than the next person.

I suppose I should at least _consider_ the offer (or at least make it _look_ like I'm considering it). Training with Black Star might not be so – "I'll whip you right into shape! What less would you expect, when the mighty Black Star is training you!" Black Star shouted, bursting into a fit of laughter. Oh, no! He seems to have decided for me! I'd feel bad if I backed out now… Then again, I'd probably feel bad if I hadn't backed out, too. Somehow I doubt Black Star will go easy on me because I'm new at the whole "Weapon and Meister pairs fighting" concept.

"Black Star," Tsubaki intervened, "shouldn't we wait and see what Sam says first?"

"Why should we? There's no way she's stupid enough to want to turn down a training offer from the great Black Star!" he laughed. I must be _pretty_ stupid, then, because I _really_ don't want _Black Star_ to train me, no matter how "great" and "mighty" he may be!

I groaned and rested my head against the wall behind my bed. "I'm going to die," I wailed.

"I'm sure it won't be that bad," Tsubaki soothed ineffectively.

I haven't known Black Star very long, but I do know from what I've heard and witnessed that he plans on being the strongest person to ever exist. I don't think that's possible (but I'm not going to be the one to tell him that!), but he'll probably give me a training system that he thinks will help me (help means hurt!) to be one of the strongest people ever as well, which is also impossible (and I don't have trouble telling _myself_ that).

"Did anyone care to ask _me_ what _I_ think?" Jay interrupted which his arms crossed. He wasn't laughing now. I guess he _can_ be a bit of a drama queen (or king) sometimes, which is justified (this time, at least) because I definitely did _not_ care to ask him what he thought.

"We're _kind of_ in the middle of something!" I hissed at him, exasperated. He grunted in reply. He's probably annoyed, but hey, he should be used to me by now. I prioritize! (That's code for "_me first!_")

Returning my attention to Black Star, I said, "There is absolutely _no way_ that you could train me." Trying not to sound _too_ rude, I quickly added, "You're just too amazing, Black Star! I would get distracted by your awesomeness and fail miserably in your shadow!" Wow. Did I seriously just say that? Checking the surprised and amused faces of the others confirmed it. Yep, I definitely just said that. Gosh, I feel lame. Jay was stifling laughter, and I could hear it slipping out. It's a bit of a strange sound that's somewhere between the sounds of someone snorting or choking…

Now would be the perfect time for Black Star to accept my response to the offer and move on with his life. Of course, I've never been _that_ lucky. "I totally understand!" Black Star replied heartily. "You're too afraid of failure, and that's why you _need_ the best to train you!" Yeah, I really don't think that's it… Black Star started laughing again, despite the despair that I can almost guarantee is swept across my face.

I suddenly realized that this was totally Tsubaki's fault. There _is_ evil in her! It's the thing that no one wanted to publicize about her (her dirty little secret!). "Black Star," Tsubaki said, "I don't think you should force Sam to do anything she doesn't want to do…" Hmm… maybe she isn't evil, after all.

"I'll train her," Maka said firmly. Thank goodness! I'm going to be trained by a normal person! "And Soul can train Jay. That way everyone's happy."

I sighed in relief as Black Star started muttering about how Maka and Soul were challenging his awesomeness. I looked at Jay. He looked back at me. "Before you ask, I'm fine with it."

I smiled at him. "As if I was going to ask!" I said in a playing manner.

"I just knew you were," he replied, smiling back at me. That means that he knew I wasn't going to ask.

"Alright, let's head back to class," Dr. Stein said. "Sid told me he wouldn't dissect the plump sparrow I left him." He shook his head disapprovingly. "What a waste."

"I'll come back and see you after class, okay?" Jay told me, patting my head twice before stepping back and following the others out.

Gwen groaned just as he was about to step out the door. "Walk me home first," she pleaded him.

Jay turned his head back to me. "You hear that? Girls are asking me to walk them home, and it's only my second day!" he joked. I snorted and rolled my eyes in reply. "I guess I should take Gwen first, though, so I'll come back after."

I shook my head. "Don't worry about it. I'm not that bad. At least, I don't think so. They wouldn't leave me alone in the first place if I were _dying_." It would be _really_ embarrassing to be near death after only one battle (and probably painful, too…).

"Fair enough," he shrugged. He called over his shoulder as he walked out, "Later!" Gwen followed him, lifting her hand lazily in a brief wave as she left.

I stayed alone in the Dispensary, bored and uncomfortable. I always move a lot before I fall asleep, but I'm completely restrained here. I don't like it one bit, and it took me what felt like _at least_ an hour to finally fall asleep.

When I woke, I started at the sight of a lady half-wrapped in bandages next to my hospital bed. The first thing that came to mind was a mummy. I've already seen a zombie, so a mummy shouldn't be so surprising to me, but it is. I still don't like things that remind me of scary movies! I'm much too easily frightened.

"Ah, you're awake," the woman said. "It's good that you got a couple of hours of rest." How long was I asleep, exactly?

"Yeah, uh… who are you?" I asked.

"I'm Nygus, Sid's Weapon partner. I'm working as the school nurse," she informed me.

"Oh, okay. I'm Sam." I decided that I should introduce myself although the school nurse should already know the person she's supposed to be taking care of.

"I know," she said. I'm not surprised. "You have a reputation now."

"Already?" I groaned. "It's only my second day!" I protested. This is absurd!

She shook her head at me pityingly. "I know, I know, but you managed to be knocked unconscious in your very first battle," she reasoned.

"Yeah, that's true." I frowned and rested my head against the wall behind my bed. Wanting to change the subject, I asked, "Am I going to be able to go home today?"

She paused to think about it. "I suppose you can, since your wound has closed up nicely–" Did she check it while I was asleep? I feel violated… "— it should be okay for you to move around, so long as you're careful and don't overwork your body. That means no working out when you get home, you understand?" She winked at me. She must know that I'm allergic to exercise!

I sighed and didn't say anything. Then it occurred to me that I hadn't thought to ask Gwen if she had found a partner yet. Since I'll be going home, though, I can always ask her then. I sat there silently as Nygus changed my bandages and disconnected me from the machine. She explained to me that I didn't need it anymore. I wasn't complaining – at least I could move my arm now.

After what seemed like a millennium, the bell rang, and noise spilled through the door and into the Dispensary as students left their classes. I had to wait for Jay to come and fetch me. Nygus was waiting for him with me. After what seemed like yet _another_ millennium, Jay stepped through the door and into the Dispensary. He actually seemed tired. He probably ran here or something.

"Hey. Can you go home today?" he asked, nodding politely to Nygus as he neared.

"Yep," I answered. Nygus assisted me in stepping out of the hospital bed, and I leaned on her as I tried to stand. My feet were asleep and a sharp pain emanated from my stomach area. Besides that, I was feeling fine. Jay offered me his hand, and I grabbed it as I stumbled closer to him to grab his shoulder. Once I was standing, I let go of his hand and said, "Okay, let's go. Thanks, Nygus," I called behind me as I hobbled weakly out, leaning on Jay's shoulder. I feel the need to thank her, even though I'm not 100% sure what she did, since I only saw her once I was already awake.

Jay and I made slow progress home, and I ended up linking my arm around his elbow as a half-support once my feet had woken up. "So what happened to the witch?" I asked him.

"I figured they'd punish her, imprison her, or kill her, since she's a witch and all, but instead, Shinigami-sama let her go," he said. He sounded outraged. I felt outraged as well, but was forced to accept the decision. I could ask someone if there was more to the story tomorrow.

Gwen was waiting for us, sitting on the floor against the wall between the doors to Jay's and our apartments. She grinned at the sight of our linked arms, and I, embarrassed and red-faced, quickly unlinked my arm and gripped his shoulder for support instead.

"So, what'd I miss?" she asked.

"The witch was let loose to wreak more havoc, and the nurse said that my wound closed up nicely," I informed her. I reached deep into my pocket for my apartment key, but it wasn't there. I let go of Jay's shoulder and grabbed the wall instead so that I could reach my other hand into my other pocket. I lost my key _already_? The universe hates me! "Um, we have a problem!" I announced. "I can't find my key!"

"It must have fallen out during the battle," Jay suggested. "We can look for it tomorrow. Gwen, do you have your key?"

"Um, no…" she admitted sheepishly. "And Mom isn't home. She must be out shopping or something. I don't know when she'll be back, and Dad is working, so he'll probably be back in a couple of hours."

I groaned. Could this day get any worse? I lowered myself slowly to the ground. Jay, feeling sorry for us, told us to stay and watch TV at his apartment. He made us sandwiches, but left us alone in the living room, watching TV and eating, to go and shower. By the time he came back, Gwen and I were terribly bored of watching the sports channel. We decided to check if Mom was home yet, thanking him for the food and for not abandoning us to the hallway. Thankfully, she was inside now, and opened the door for us.

"So Gwen, do you have a partner yet?" Mom asked. I had forgotten to ask her that myself, so I listened.

"Not yet, but I met an interesting kid named Daren. He doesn't have a partner, either, and we have a lot in common." She was a bit too emotionless when she said this, so I'm going to assume that, knowing Gwen, she has a crush on this boy.

"Is he cute?" Mom asked her, probably thinking the same thing.

"_Mom!_" Gwen shrieked, fleeing at top speed to her room.

Mom and I exchanged a knowing glance, and she helped me to my room. I'm starting to get the idea that life here in Death City is going to be pretty busy.

**That's it for Chapter 7! Thanks for reading, and I hope you liked it! Thanks to all of my reviewers as well! :)**

**I'm especially happy with this chapter because it's seven pages (strange, since it's Chapter 7...), which makes it the longest chapter I have **_**ever**_** written! Yahoo! (Maybe it's because seven is my favorite number! :o)**

**Also, **_**yes**_**, Maka and Soul are going to be training Sam and Jay, respectively. And yes, Gwen is probably going to be partners with this "Daren" character, who I'll introduce to you in the next chapters. **

**Sorry I ended the battle so abruptly, but I wanted **_**this**_** to be the flow of things. The next real battles will be longer and, hopefully, more descriptive. **

**Once again, thank you very much for reading! Let me know what you think, or I'll take your soul! XD (I think I'm overusing that line! :3)**


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